After three rail strikes and little progress in the collective bargaining conflict, the train drivers' union GDL gives the railways an ultimatum and threatens the next strike.
Now the railway board is giving in.
Berlin - There has been little movement at Deutsche Bahn * lately - neither on the tracks nor in collective bargaining with the striking train drivers' union GDL.
Passengers on the train had to endure three strikes, the union threatened with the fourth - and gave the train an ultimatum until Monday.
If there is no negotiable offer by the beginning of next week, the preparations for the next labor dispute should begin, said the federal chairman of the German Locomotive Drivers Union (GDL), Claus Weselsky.
It doesn't come to that after all: The railway wants to persuade the strike-tested GDL to negotiate again with a “new and improved” offer, as the German press agency learned.
Rail strike: DB wants to present the GDL with a new offer by the weekend
The offer should be submitted to the union by the weekend, it was said on Thursday (September 9) from the environment of the two collective bargaining parties.
The contents of the planned offer were initially not known.
The company is intensively examining where the two sides can get closer, said a railway spokeswoman.
"In the interests of our customers, we urgently need to come to an agreement now."
The GDL chairman Claus Weselsky had previously increased the pressure.
"We gave Deutsche Bahn (DB) time to think after the last strike, but it seems to me that the DB is taking a bit of time to think about it," criticized Weselsky.
The train is apparently playing for time, but that can no longer be an option.
Three rail strikes in a row: This is what the GDL train drivers' union is all about
The GDL has already struck three times in the current collective bargaining round for its goals, most recently in passenger transport for five days.
The collective bargaining dispute is about higher pay and better working conditions for employees.
The union also wants to expand its sphere of influence in the group.
A good every second German has no sympathy for the latest strike.
53 percent of those questioned expressed themselves accordingly in a Yougov survey for the German press agency.
On the other hand, 36 percent understand the work stoppages.
The strikes during the holiday season hit commuters as well as holidaymakers, and the third strike in passenger traffic also extended over a weekend.
Around every seventh German citizen was affected by the work stoppages according to the survey.
Rail strike: GDL and rail have been in the tariff dispute for months
Despite months of wage disputes *, the GDL and the railway have not yet been able to agree on a deal.
The GDL is demanding 3.2 percent more wages for a term of 28 months and a corona premium of 600 euros.
On the other hand, the railway wants to extend the tariff increase over a longer period of time and had recently offered a term of 36 months.
In addition, she agreed to the Corona * premium.
(dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA